Propane Mosquito Trap Blamed in Campground Blaze

A fire at the Wakeda Campground on Exeter Road burned a camper in the seasonal park “down to the rails,” Fire Chief Jay Lord said.

The most probable cause of the fire, he said, was lack of maintenance to a propane mosquito trap.

“It’s still under investigation but that is what we are leaning towards,” Lord said. “There is some maintenance requirement to the (mosquito trap) and that was most likely not done this year.”

Fire crews responded to the campground at about 8:30 p.m. for a reported structure fire. Lord said first responders found a large camper fully engulfed in flames. The fire caused a valve on a propane tank to let go, releasing a “huge amount” of propane, Lord said. He said it looked like a “blow torch.”